PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hayato Sakuraba (ranked 508 p4p, 4045 weight class) and Kunle Soyan (ranked 65 p4p, 516 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sakuraba
vs
Soyan

180 cm
27
190
6 - 3 - 0

193 cm
19
189
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Hayato Sakuraba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kunle Soyan!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A low kick from Soyan is predictable there

and Sakuraba counters with a shoot takedown. Soyan fights it but they end up in guard.

Soyan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sakuraba defends well.
Sakuraba scoring with some ground and pound.
Sakuraba postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sakuraba has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Sakuraba controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sakuraba might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sakuraba is pushing down on Soyan's leg trying to pass to half guard. Soyan is fighting to maintain full guard but Sakuraba has managed to sneak the leg through.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakuraba with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sakuraba wants to take a breather but Soyan is having none of it.

Soyan is defending against the submission attempts here by Sakuraba.
Soyan won't allow Sakuraba to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba moves into full mount! Soyan won't be happy about that!
Soyan tries to hold on but Sakuraba postures up.
Sakuraba has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Sakuraba working for a submission but Soyan is keeping him at bay.

Sakuraba jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Soyan is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Soyan and Sakuraba has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Soyan struggling a bit here.

Sakuraba is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Soyan is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soyan takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Sakuraba scoring with punches and elbows.
Sakuraba lands an elbow.
Soyan is looking to regain half guard here but Sakuraba keeps moving and retains side control.
Sakuraba working the ground and pound from side control.
Soyan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Soyan keeps trying to improve his position.
Sakuraba controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sakuraba working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Soyan tries to bench press Sakuraba off him but Sakuraba keeps the position.
Sakuraba has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Sakuraba content just to control the position here.
Sakuraba lands with some strikes.

It looks like Kunle Soyan has been cut.
Sakuraba cracks Soyan with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Soyan wants to control but Sakuraba is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sakuraba breaks from Soyan's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Sakuraba is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Soyan is surviving well by controlling Sakuraba's body position as best he can.
Soyan is trying to escape the mount.

Sakuraba goes for an armbar but Soyan turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Soyan.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sakuraba has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Soyan has passed into side control.
Sakuraba manages to get back to half guard.
Sakuraba moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sakuraba manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Soyan manages to get himself to full guard.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hayato Sakuraba dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kunle Soyan's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Soyan scores with a push kick.
Sakuraba keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Soyan throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Sakuraba counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Soyan!

Sakuraba is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Soyan knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Soyan wants to control but Sakuraba postures up.

Sakuraba thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soyan takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Sakuraba lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakuraba is working Soyan over with some ground and pound from side control.
Hayato Sakuraba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Soyan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Soyan is trying to work for a sweep but Sakuraba has mounted him!

Sakuraba goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Soyan is on top in guard.
Sakuraba pulls Soyan in to control the position.
Soyan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Soyan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Sakuraba has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Soyan should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Sakuraba has tightened it up now! Soyan should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Hayato Sakuraba!